US Open champion Nadal stretches clear as No 1

Update:
September, 12/2017 - 10:30

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Rafael Nadal of Spain poses with the trophy during the awarding ceremony after his Men’s singles final match against Kevin Anderson of South Africa at the 2017 US Open in New York, the United States on Sunday. Nadal won 3-0 to claim the title. — AFP Photo

PARIS — Rafael Nadal extended his lead at the top of the world rankings on Monday after claiming his 16th Grand Slam title at the US Open, while Roger Federer took second spot from Andy Murray.

Spaniard Nadal and 19-time major winner Federer sit first and second on the all-time Grand Slam champions list, but it is the first time they have occupied the top two places in the rankings since 2011.

Nadal, 31, had retaken the world number one spot from Murray the week before winning his third US Open title, and now holds a substantial lead over reigning Australian Open and Wimbledon champion Federer.

Swiss legend Federer, 36, was out of sorts in New York and lost to Juan Martin Del Potro in the last eight.

Murray missed the final major tournament of the season with a hip injury.

German youngster Alexander Zverev moved to a career-high ranking of fourth despite suffering a shock second-round loss to Borna Coric at Flushing Meadows.

South African Kevin Anderson, who was swept aside in straight sets by Nadal in Sunday’s final, jumped 17 places to 15th, while surprise semi-finalist Pablo Carreno Busta broke into the top 10 for the first time.

Garbine Muguruza officially became world number one for the first time on Monday, as Sloane Stephens soared back into the top 20 after her surprise US Open triumph.

Wimbledon champion Muguruza takes over from Karolina Pliskova at the top of the rankings, after the Czech’s quarter-final defeat in New York by Coco Vandeweghe.

Stephens, who was ranked 957th six weeks ago after a long injury absence, jumps 66 places to world number 17 after winning 15 of her last 17 matches, including the 6-3, 6-0 thrashing of fellow American Madison Keys in Saturday’s US Open final.

Keys is up four spots to number 12 after reaching a maiden Grand Slam final.

Seven-time major champion Venus Williams, 37, has returned to the top five for the first time since January 2011, while her sister Serena, who gave birth to her first child during the US Open, drops out of the top 20 for the first time in six years.

Maria Sharapova, who reached the fourth round in her first Grand Slam appearance after serving a doping ban, is closing back in on the top 100.

Germany’s Angelique Kerber, who started the year as the world number one, slipped eight places to 14th after seeing her US Open title defence ended in the first round by Naomi Osaka. — AFP